In the latest update for death row inmate Christa Pike, her attorneys say that she is "conscious, breathing, and continuing to receive medical care."
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Pike was scheduled to be executed last Wednesday (September 30). But something unprecedented happened during her execution. The two lethal injection doses that were administered were not enough to put Pike to death. She survived and was comatose for several days.
Pike's Attorneys Say Her Condition is 'Medically Unprecedented'
Her attorneys said that even though she is back conscious, they still expect her to have a lengthy recovery. Because her condition is "medically unprecedented."
"Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery," they said (via WSMV). "We are incredibly grateful to the first responders and the medical team at the hospital who treated Christa like a human and have provided exceptional care for her. We also want to thank thousands from all over the world who sent messages offering prayers and support for Christa. "
After the botched injection, Pike's attorneys revealed that they expressed concerns about the manner of her execution. All of which proved to be legitimate.
"We take no pleasure in being right, but the concerns raised by Ms. Pike proved to be true: difficult vein access, blown veins, degraded pentobarbital, no emergency medical care available when things inevitably go wrong, all under a protocol that remains veiled in secrecy," they said at the time.
Pike and her boyfriend at the time, Tadaryll Shipp, were found guilty of killing 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995. Slemmer, Shipp, and Pike were all classmates at the Knoxville Job Corps. Prosecutors believed that Slemmer's death was a crime of passion. Pike feared that Slemmer was a "romantic rival" who would eventually drive a wedge between her and her boyfriend. So she and Shipp conspired to lure the teen to a secluded area. There, they tortured and killed her.
A Wednesday (October 7) press conference will decide if the state goes forward with a second execution.
